Category: KPOP

[Review] Youth – KIHYUN (MONSTA X)

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This review kicks off a big week of reviews coming to you on this blog. And that honour of the day goes to KIHYUN, who returns as a solo artist after his solo debut with VOYAGER seven months ago. The new single is titled Youth and is featured on his first mini-album of the same name. KIHYUN also participated in MONSTA X’s comeback earlier this year, LOVE.

Youth follows on neatly from his solo debut track, with both tracks falls into the rock genre. However, we aren’t talking about copies here. Youth is more on the alternative side of the genre and there is some really good energy coming from the song. Within the first listen, I was digging the sound and having a bit of a dance in my seat. That is probably the best first impression you could get with any song. KIHYUN did a superb job in terms of vocals, once again. I really liked the huskier tone he adopts in the verses of Youth and the way his vocals push upwards to give us a more explosive chorus. The melody was just fine, but I found it to be fulfilling given the way his vocals rode the energy that came from the instrumental. This created a satisfying centrepiece to Youth. His lower vocals at the end of Youth was also stunning way to close up the song, making the song feel complete, especially following the high of the chorus. However, with a few more listens in the bag, I have consistently been caught off guard with the fact that Youth is short. I wanted more to the song. Maybe the ending we got potentially could have been a false one, and KIHYUN had another go at the chorus to catch us off guard. This doesn’t change the fact that Youth is good and that I am happy with Youth. But hopefully we can get a longer title track from KIHYUN in the future.

YOUTH’s lyrics expresses the emotions felt by a person at the crossroads between their younger and current self. It touches on the whole idea of maturing into an adult, but also wishing those days when we were young to return. I felt the music video depicted KIHYUN as his younger and current self quite well. We see KIHYUN as his younger self in the first half of the video, with him jumping about in the bedroom and having fun at the playground, just like a young kid would be doing. His current self is depicted in the second half of the video, but I think we see two sides. We first saw what his younger self had thought he would become when he matures into an adult – dark and lonely. But we a truer representation of KIHYUN now when he is in the studio taking photos and videos towards the end. And he definitely looks content and happy about where he is now. It is a nice video that woks extremely well with the lyrics and has a deep meaning.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Album Review] Girls (2nd Mini Album) – aespa

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Next album review on this blog will be for aespa, who returned with Girls – the title of both their latest lead single and second mini-album. Both dropped in July of this year. Girls features a total of nine tracks, making it feel just like a studio album. But the idea of the mini-album might be the fact that the physical version only features 6 tracks (including the pre-release Illusion, the English and Korean versions of Life’s Too Short and the title track Girls). The digital version bumps the tracklist to the 9 to include the singles Black Mamba, Forever and their Dreams Come True remake. All the links to the releases/reviews can be found down below.

As alluded above, since I have access to the digital version of the album, I will be counting all the tracks as part of the album rating (but only count the two versions of Life’s Too Short as one song). With the housekeeping out of the way, here is my overall remark of the mini-album. And I think some people might not like it. I consider Girls to be a fairly safe release. Out of the new songs, we have a balance of strong and weak songs that cancel each other out. Hence, I don’t feel one way or another about the release. When I factor in the past releases (unsure to why they are included on this mini-album), they do help boost up the rating of this mini-album. I wonder if SM Entertainment was trying to strengthen the album with the presence of their remake and debut singles.

Girls Album Cover

1. Girls (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Girls. (8/10)

2. Illusion (도깨비불) (Pre-Release Track) – I liked the fact that Illusion is more paced and felt more refined, yet still maintaining an EDM-based and a somewhat intense atmosphere. However, I did think aespa and their producers were playing it safe with this song. I felt they could have snuck in a few punches into Illusion just to give it some oomph and power. I feel like the song potentially could have been taken to the next level (pun unintended) had this been the case, whilst also still maintaining the pace/refinement it had opted for. The line “Yummy Yummy Yummy in my Tummy” was a bit off-putting, simply because it felt too childish. (7.5/10)

3. Lingo – Lingo is even more paced than the previous song, and I was not a fan of it. It resulted in Lingo coming off as sluggish and dry. However, the producers kept it interesting by including a harmonica riff into the instrumental. As far as I can remember from the top of my head, I don’t think I have ever heard of a harmonic riff in KPOP before. It is an interesting colour, and one I would love to dive further into. Just with a more upbeat tempo next time around. Their vocals and raps were quite nice in this song. (6.5/10)

4. Life’s Too Short – I have previously reviewed Life’s Too Short in an International Song Review post. I will not be reviewing the Korean version of the song, as a result, and will not factor the Korean version into the final overall album rating I give at the end of album reviews. See the English version of Life’s Too Short on this album for a link to the review of the song.

5. ICU (쉬어가도 돼) – ICU is a soft pop ballad that I thought was stunner. It follows on nicely from Life’s Too Short and features a sweet vocals and melodies that just feels warm and inviting. The instrumental was quite balance and brings a smile to my face, with the soft acoustic guitar being my favourite part. I also love the bolstering of the “and ICU” parts of the song. It is a nice amplification that fits in with the rest of the song, and also helps leave a strong impression on you. My favourite (new) side track on this mini-album. (9/10)

6. Life’s Too Short (English Version) – I have previously reviewed Life’s Too Short in an International Song Review post. Click here to see that review. (8/10)

7. Black Mamba – Click here to read the full review of Black Mamba. (9/10)

8. Forever (약속) – Click here to read the full review of Forever. (9/10)

9. Dreams Come True – At the end of 2021, aespa made a special comeback as part of SM Station, where they remade Dreams Come True, a single previously released back in 1998 by S.E.S. They kicked off the song with a more prominent hip-hop vibe, which is a neat way that makes the original pop song relevant to the younger group. As the song progress, aespa continues to make Dreams Come True their own by infusing a light touch of EDM into the song. What I like is that the producers did not change the iconic melody of the instrumental and chorus, so it maintained resemblance to the original song. They also maintained the gibberish bridge from the original version of the song. If you have not yet, I highly recommend you check out the music video for this release. It was produced by BoA and was so beautifully done. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

Girls Teaser Image

[Review] HIT YA! – Lapillus

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Before I can return to writing reviews for releases from the past week (plus some other posts such as album reviews and International Song Reviews posts), I need to cover one more female rookie group (just to keep things balanced with the male rookie groups I focused on the previous week). And this one more review will focus on Lapillus, a 6-member female group under MLD Entertainment, the home of Momoland and T1419. The group consists of Chanty, Shana, Yue, Bessie, Seowon, and Haeun, and they all made their debut in June of this year with the single HIT YA!. More recently, Lapillus returned with the single GRATATA, which will be the focus of another review post in the future.

Out of all the female rookie releases I have reviewed this week, HIT YA! is probably the heaviest of all. There is a powerful, edgy, girl crush vibe that comes off strongly from the song. Out of the four reviews I wrote this week for the female rookies, HIT YA! does manage to stand out as a result of this powerful and edgy energy. But when you compare HIT YA! to the rest of the industry and what is out there at the moment (or at the time of HIT YA!‘s release), the song falls into pretty generic territory. It also doesn’t help that the entire second verse was substituted out for an instrumental break. It does add more to that powerful and girl crush vibe that I already mentioned and there is a uniqueness to this approach, but it is done at a pretty large expense. Surely, the producers could have used that segment better to show off the members. As a result, HIT YA! only had a limited amount of time for the members to make a lasting impact. And unfortunately, I don’t think they did. The high notes at the end were definitely a hint at something promising for the group, but they ended up being in the background. Those high notes easily could have breached the surface and become an explosive element. There were potential behind the rappers in the first verse with their solid delivery. But without a second verse, there was a missed opportunity to reiterate it. Even the lyrical hooks were quite lacking, relying on the instrumental of the choruses to be the main centrepiece of the song. I feel lyrical hooks leave much more of an impression, while the instrumental only does so much. So unfortunately, Lapillus’ debut song HIT YA! was riddled with problems that just did not work in their favour. Hopefully, their comeback track GRATATA can be more promising.

While the song isn’t for me, the music video was definitely much better. They got a fairly decent budget for the music video that enabled them to get some cool backgrounds in the post-production department. Their closeups and solo shots were also quite cool, though some better lighting could have shown off the members more successfully. I know they approach the video with a darker and edgier concept in mind, but the backgrounds for some of the scenes turned out to be quite colourful, so I feel like they could have gotten away with some better lighting. The real and built dance sets were probably the most lacking elements in the video, as they come off as quite plain.

The choreography for this release worked well with the song. The members doing a great job of showcasing that edgy and powerful vibe from the song behind each of their moves. I did particularly like the body waves and the right-angled positioning of the arms in the chorus, while some other moves (i.e. the arm shotguns) are becoming dated.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] RING X RING – Billlie

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I had a bit of an internal debate about which Billlie song I was going to review for this week. While all their songs are unique, I really wanted to kill two birds with one stone by reviewing their more recent release, RING ma Bell (what a wonderful day). The reason why would make sense in a couple of weeks time. But no birds were harmed in the making of this review, as I decided to exclusively focus on debut tracks. For Billlie, that is RING X RING, which was released almost a year ago in November 2021. Billlie is another 7 member group (consisting of Moon Sua, Suhyeon, Haram, Tsuki, Sheon, Siyoon and Haruna) under Mystic Story,

Firstly, I want to apologise for how long this review has taken (a shocking 11 months). It was definitely on my ‘to review’ list since its release, but I never got around to doing that. There was a lot going on during that time. But as I say quite often on this blog, better late than never. RING X RING is, with no doubts whatsoever, a very interesting release. Once you listen to it, it will be obvious to why that is the case. Compared to other KPOP releases we have heard before and since, RING X RING is different. The instrumental experiments with the synths by making it feel all abstract. I liked the idea of that, but I find the instrumental doesn’t come off as intended. There is a fair bit going on (i.e. pulsating bass, twinkling and siren-like synths, a touch of classical influence in the dance break etc.), on top of the heaviness and repetitiveness. But when you consider the instrumental as a whole, it feels more of a blur. Sure, there is still an epic vibe and flair to RING X RING‘s backing, but nothing really sticks out. When we get to the chorus, RING X RING changes momentum momentarily, with a fairly simple melody that contrasts quite strongly with the rest of the song. The change was quite sudden for my liking. And if you read past reviews, you will know I am not a big fan of sudden. It essentially stopped the momentum of that was built in the verses in what felt like a jerk-like motion. This was quite a disappointment, as I did like what I thought the verses and pre-choruses were hurtling towards. However, the choruses were a nice display of their vocal potential. Their vocals were already strong, and I liked the additional boldness and definition their vocals had in the song. Whilst speaking about vocals, I feel the need to mention that their rapping was also displayed strongly. Needlessly to say, what we heard in RING X RING is enough proof that there is potential behind this new group. The biggest take away from RING X RING is that, even after a year, I am not 100% sure if I like it or not. Parts of it I do, parts of it don’t. It just leaves me confused as I don’t know what to think of RING X RING, and that is quite baffling for me.

I note that the video was released on the 10 November 2021, 10 days after Halloween. Some places would have moved onto Thanksgiving or Christmas season by then. However, the video continues to showcase spooky and eerie vibes that reminds me of Halloween. As a fan of the horror, creepiness and dark, I have no issues about the lateness of the video in terms of timing (though it could have been better). But I do have the qualms about how it doesn’t explore this concept further. The choreography scenes literally takes over the video, and it leaves little opportunity for us to really five into the spooky and eerie vibes. And I find that to be disappointing. As for the choreography shots that took over the video, their outfits lacked concept, while the choreography set was pretty plain.

Performance-wise, this group definitely also shows potential. Their choreography was quite cool, with their moves taking on board that unique charm from the song. The start was pretty cool, where each member got a chance to be in focus. The dance break we get in the performance showcases an epic vibe. I just feel the choreography lacks a key point.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

[Review] SHUT DOWN – CLASS:y

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Two reviews ago, I started to focus on a few female rookie releases of this year that I have yet to review. I will be continuing that focus today. The first of two reviews is on CLASS:y, a 7 member female group under M25 and Universal Music Japan. They were formed via the MBC survival show My Teenage Girl, with the top 7 participants (i.e. Myung Hyungseo, Yoon Chaewon, Hong Hyeju, Kim Riwon, Won Jimin, Park Boeun and Kim Seonyou) forming CLASS:y. They subsequently made their debut back in May with Part 1 of their debut mini-album, Class Is Over, and the title track SHUT DOWN. They later followed up with their comeback Classy, and later this month with Tick Tick Boom and Zealous – all of which will be subject of future reviews.

SHUT DOWN proved to be quite a catchy track, but it took quite a while for it to catch on for me. I don’t think I thought much of SHUT DOWN when it was first released, otherwise I might have been more inclined to review it earlier on. But over time, the dramatic thumping consistently throughout the instrumentation, the squeaky horn synth that plays in the background of the “SHUT DOWN” refrain following the chorus, and that very same repetition ended up making SHUT DOWN being quite memorable. I really liked the extra oomph the members put behind that repetitive sequence (i.e. the shouting and chantiness of the sequence), which helped bolster up the sequence and give it a more epic vibe. All of what I had just listed is pretty much on point with current sounds and styles, but I like the way that CLASS:y and their producers had managed to keep the song exciting and dynamic throughout. However, listening back to SHUT DOWN, there are still a few sore spots to the song that just have not been able to escape the land of generic. Firstly, the actual chorus was not that strong. Compared to the main hook of SHUT DOWN, the chorus itself was pretty boring and plain. The melody here could have been more interesting and stronger, just to keep it on par with the hook and not feel as lacking as it did. Secondly, I felt the group could have done more with their vocals and raps. CLASS:y does have a strong set of vocals and raps as demonstrated in the song, but I wished there was more of a wow moment. I kept on thinking of an epic note or a punchy rap line would have been ideal in this song. And while I do think we did head in that direction during the bridge, it didn’t feel enough. Thirdly, the verses were pretty forgettable. Overall, SHUT DOWN‘s strongest point (i.e. the catchy hook) is its best aspect and a fair first step into the industry.

I feel like we have seen a few apocalypse concept music videos this year, more than any other year. Is KPOP trying to warn us of something? However, this one probably takes the cake, with both an asteroid crashing into Earth and a zombie plague all at once. Though I feel like the latter might be influenced by All of Us Are Dead from earlier in the year. Anyhow, I was pretty okay with the video. It leans towards the cutesy side, but I am not too troubled by this initially. It was a neat fit for the group’s youthful visuals. However, the ending is when I started questioning things. Supercharged inflatable bats and water guns was just a bit too cutesy for my liking. Also, the zombified people in the different protective outfits we see closing in on the members during their choreography shots were a nice touch, but I wished their walking wasn’t as “video game” like.

I quite liked the energy the members put into the performance, particularly during the final sequence. It adds more oomph to the song. I really liked how they changed the moves for that hook in the end, just to give the end of the performance a more intensified zing. The earlier moves for that hook made sense, but felt somewhat weak. I did like how Hyeju flaunt her flexibility during her second sequence – that was a cool moment.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] Timeless – THE BOYZ

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Another slight change to the review schedule for today. Sliding in a scheduled post instead of what I had planned for today. Back to normal for tomorrow!

Another album review I will be posting in the near future is for THE BOYZ’s BE AWARE, which dropped mid-August of this year. A week prior to the official release of both BE AWARE and the title track WHISPER, THE BOYZ did pre-release the track Timeless. As it also got a music video, I thought I write a quick review for Timeless.

Timeless is quite a different track to their title track for what became their 7th mini-album. The only common thread between the two songs is the fact that both songs are ideal for the summer season. The major difference, however, is the title track is much more synth-based and a performance piece, whilst Timeless is more approachable and calming to listen to. I use the terms ‘pleasant’ and ‘soothing’ quite often on my blog (and more so this year than any other year), but it is probably the most succinct way to describe the likes of Timeless. I think you can also describe as the song as rather simple, as well.. There really isn’t much to it. The instrumental is less reliant on the synths that have taken over THE BOYZ’s title tracks, instead opting for a mix of piano in the verses and a minimalistic approach with some light tropical synths for the choruses. There is also some intriguing synths at the start the song, which admittedly got me interested in Timeless. I also quite like the bass, which gave the song a bit more body and was a subtle way to build the song. Similarly, the guitar work we get in the bridge and in the final chorus of Timeless was also another subtle way to keep the ball rolling but also not exactly repeat everything that came before it. As for the vocals and raps, the members also kept it simple, with a simple melody. I did like the way members all sung together at the end, giving the ending nice sense of closure and peak, as well. Overall, Timeless was a neat pre-release and I appreciated its presence on the mini-album.

The music video was also quite simple and appeals to the idea that the song is geared towards the Summer season. In this video, the members go on a retreat to the beach, hanging out with one another and enjoying their time together as a group away from spotlights and the stage. I don’t have much to say about the video, mainly that it works well with the song. Also, it shows the members is a less harsher and edgy manner, and that their visuals appear to be more natural. This complements the idea of nature and scenic views that is touched on in the video.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] Pop? Pop! – CSR

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Last week, I focused on some male group debuts from this year that I had yet to review. This week, I turn my attention to some female group debuts from this year. While the female group rookie scene has been super intense in particular, there is still a lot of ground to cover. I begin it all off with CSR, a seven member group under POPMUSIC. They debuted back in July of this year with the mini-album Sequence: 7272 and title track Pop? Pop!. Fun fact, the seven members of the group (i.e. Sua, Sihyeon, Yuna, Seoyeon, Duna, Geumhee and Yeham) are all born the year 2005. Before we let that actually sink in, let’s get stuck right in with this review.

Out of all the songs that I will be covering in the next few days for this female group rookie intensive period, Pop? Pop! is probably my favourite release. While I do find some cutesy song releases to be cringy and rely on a lot of the same motifs over time, there have been a few that have really stood out for me. And Pop? Pop! is joining that list. Put simply, Pop? Pop! brings nostalgia upfront because it sounds very similar to some of LOVELYZ’s earlier releases, a group previously active between 2014 to 2021. The synth-pop style of instrumentation and vocals work just brings me back to LOVELYZ’s releases. In addition to the nostalgia, there is a vibrant and refreshing feel to Pop? Pop! that feels very original in 2022. I particularly love the way the title of the song is repeated throughout the song. But instead of being repetitive, it is cleverly weaved into the instrumentation and used as detailing throughout the song. The exclamations of “Pop” during the verses were so addictive and acted like mini explosions of energy that kept even the verses dynamic. Even the refrain following the choruses was quite appealing, probably due to what felt like a faster tempo and the liveliness it gave. As for the actual choruses, they were very nicely done and the melody here was pleasantly inviting. The bridge is where the song changes up a tad bit, with a vibrating synth that we have not really heard in the song yet. It also incorporated a bit of a rap, which isn’t really a LOVELYZ thing. Essentially, the bridge of Pop? Pop! maintained that good energy that comes from the verses and choruses, but in a way that the song doesn’t feel like it is stuck in a loop. Finally, I really enjoyed the way the song ended with the extra “Pop Pop” that also feels more hefty, strongly signaling the end of Pop? Pop!. Overall, I think it is safe to say that Pop? Pop! is a great release. It has been on repeat for me, and I am not even tired of it.

The concept of the group, from KProfiles, is a class of young girls who were born in 2005. Their ages already tick off the latter part, whilst the group goes for the school concept for the first part of their concept. This time around, the visuals and music videos reminds me of GFriend, who is also another disbanded group who was notorious for their school girl concept in their very early days. But this music video features a bit more post-production that makes it feel more cutesy. Personally, since I like the song, I am not too troubled by the extra cuteness, simply because it matches up with the vibrant energy. And the acting isn’t as forced or hard to watch as other examples. I also enjoyed the vibrant colours in this video, with green in this video having a lasting impression on me.

When I watch their performance, I cannot help but smile. While some might argue that is this just down to just the song, I feel the bright energy, their smiles and positive vibes you get from the members also plays a part in getting this reaction out of me.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.5/10

[Review] ANTIFRAGILE – LE SSERAFIM

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I start off this week with a review for a new release, before I turn my focus onto the female rookies that I have promised to review. And kicking off this particular week is LE SSERAFIM, who makes their first comeback with ANTIFRAGILE and the mini-album of the same name. The group’s previous release was their debut single, FEARLESS, which proved to be a massive hit upon its release, so there are some very high expectations with ANTIFRAGILE. Let’s see if they reach and/or exceed those expectations.

ANTIFRAGILE maintains the minimalist style that featured in FEARLESS to a degree. With the success of their debut song and how much I enjoyed the track, I am definitely on board to see how LE SSERAFIM would incorporate it into their new single. For ANTIFRAGILE, the minimalistic impression comes through the hooks of the song, which are more on the spoken or chanty side. To an even lesser degree, their vocals give off a similar impression. There isn’t exactly much going around the hooks of ANTIFRAGILE, hence why I am describing those sequences as ‘minimalistic’. The vocals don’t feel 100% incorporated with the backing, and so the way their vocals and raps interacted with the instrumental gave off the minimalistic feel. I find all of this does set ANTIFRAGILE up quite well, as it provide us with something new (and not a rehashed form of FEARLESS), whilst also maintaining a bit of identity for the group between releases. Now, I touched on some aspects of the song already that I just want to dive deeper into. I found the song’s initial hook (i.e. the ‘Anti ti ti ti fragile‘) to be quite jarring. But at the same time, I can definitely see it growing on me with repeated listens. The rest of the repetitive hooks in the song are just fine and help grows the song’s likeness. The instrumental had some good rhythm, with a slight reggae influence to it. However, while the consistent/repetitive percussion and rhythm keeps ANTIFRAGILE upbeat and appealing, I could have done with less of that faint whistle synth. I feel like that (out of all the repetitive and jarring elements of the song) might do my head in the most and the quickest. The verses of ANTIFRAGILE were probably the most forgettable sequences in the song, as the choruses stand out the most and are the catchiest parts of the song. Overall, I wouldn’t exactly describe ANTIFRAGILE as an exceed expectations, but it definitely heads in that direction.

The concept of the music video is quite an intriguing but clever way of showing the group is ANTIFRAGILE. Essentially, the world is doomed with the flying asteroid crushing into Earth. Everyone around them is running around and panicking, but not LE SSERAFIM, who goes about their day and lives as usual. While it is chaos on the streets, the group are just proving to us it is another day. At the end of the video, the asteroid does make impact with the members. But they come out of it unscathed, showing us that they are indeed ANTIFRAGILE. I think the music video could have used a little more vibrancy, but I do appreciate that there is more colour in this video compared to their last video.

I really liked the bounce they had in the performance, and the use of their muscle pose to show that they are ANTIFRAGILE (i.e. toughness and strongness). I did think the love hearts at the end of the performance were cringy and don’t really reflect the entire three minutes before it. I also think a better killing point move during the ‘Anti ti ti ti fragile’ hook would have been ideal. But a good performance, overall.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Review] We Fresh – Kep1er

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Kep1er is back with a brand new single and mini-album. Titled We Fresh and Troubleshoot respectively, this is the group’s second comeback of the year and since their debut (in Korea), following the likes of WA DA DA and Up!. Since their last comeback. Kep1er also made their debut in Japan with the single Wing Wing, which (like most of the non-Korean releases this year) has not been reviewed yet.

We Fresh is another one of those songs that had quite a bit going on within it, simply because it mashes up multiple influences and sound profiles within the song’s 3:15 minute span. Interestingly, We Fresh isn’t all bad. I found it cohesive enough to enjoy and that the song felt whole. However, naturally with these types of songs, there are parts that I really enjoyed and there are parts that I wish were left out or swapped out for something better. Let’s start off with the stuff within We Fresh that I did like. The punk rock that we get at the start and throughout the background of the song was super cool, and I wished the producers had delved more into that genre (or perhaps develop a song that is just punk rock). I know it is very 2022, but it would be on trend and I am not tired of it. Similarly, I really enjoyed that rock guitar breakdown following the second chorus / just before the bridge (sans Hikaru’s “We’re gon’ to the next” line). It was quite intense and had a great rush of energy, making it a highlight in We Fresh. The shouty vocals and delivery of the chorus worked well in this song, as well. We Fresh definitely had some vibrant energy, and I feel this style of delivery of the chorus complemented the dynamic nature of the song. I also enjoyed the fast pace feel of the song, for the same reasons. There was also a nice buildup in the pre-choruses, courtesy of Xiaoting. As for the parts I disliked in this song, all of the honky brass and horns we get in the song. While I didn’t mind it in the backing behind the vocals during the choruses, I am not definitely not a fan of them when it got squeaky and unsettling during the breakdown within the choruses. This just felt a sour feel that infected all of the brass and horns that we got in We Fresh. And it is quite disappointing, as that makes up a large chunk of the song and the main centre of the song. Overall, We Fresh potentially could have been a strong release for me, but it was weakened for some unwanted inclusions.

I don’t have too much to say about the music video. The visual of the members throughout the solo shots were very cool. Huening Bahiyyih with her samurai sword and Hikaru’s gun fight scene were the ones that left the biggest impression on me throughout this video. I also quite enjoyed the final choreography scene, with the background looking like newspaper or comic clippings and such. Overall, a good video to accompany this release.

The choreography embraces the edgy side of the song, but mixes it with Kep1er’s youthful side that they have shown through both their debut and first comeback singles. It creates for a strong routine that suits Kep1er likeness. I cannot imagine another group pulling off this performance – which is probably one of the highest compliments I can pay to a group. I did wish the choreography associated with the rock breakdown following the second chorus was more intense and concentrated. It was fairly weak, in my opinion.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.6/10

[Review] Parade – Kang Daniel

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A slight change to the review schedule for today. Sliding in a scheduled post instead of what I had planned for today. Back to normal for tomorrow!

Kang Daniel made his last comeback way back in May of this year, with the studio album The Story, and the title track Upside Down. In the months following the release of the album and promotion of the title track, Kang Daniel has released a series of music videos to accompany some side tracks from The Story. I will be covering these releases in anticipation for an album review for The Story next weekend. The first side track with a music video I wish to cover is Parade, the fourth song from The Story’s tracklist. It was the first side track to receive a music video, which dropped at the start of June of this year.

Parade is one of my favourite side tracks from The Story album, and I quite glad it got the music video treatment (more on the video in the next section). The track begins quite eerie with the organs. Kang Daniel’s wispy vocals works really well with this instrumental backing. This vibe lasts for the whole first verse. The chorus then changes the momentum of Parade from eerie into pop territory, which I thought was very interesting. The instrumental is amplified and Kang Daniel’s vocals are given definition with the help of backing vocals. There was a pleasant and yet an almost monotonous vibe to the chorus. But the relatively more dynamic backing to the chorus helped made it appealing and aesthetic to my taste. The eerie vibe and organs return in the second verse with the added trap to follow on neatly from the first chorus. The second chorus repeats. For the bridge, we get that eerie organ back for a brief moment, before the song launches back into the chorus. Even though it sounds repetitive in words, I always found the choruses to be a fascinating contrast to the verses and this is the reason to why I kept on repeating Parade upon its release. The way Kang Daniel ends the song with that “Yeah~” was quite different to the rest of the song, surprising me with something unexpected once again. Overall, Parade is a well crafted song that just sounds better very time you listen to it.

Parade talks about embracing our differences and taking a stand against the world that feels plain and non-autonomous. In the video, Kang Daniel is depicted in a world of office workers, travelling into the office and working a typical 9 to 5 job. He dons a black suit and pretty much looks like everyone else. But when we get to the choruses, the scenes in which he looks plain in changes. Instead of Kang Daniel blending in with everyone, he becomes the centre of attention. The people around him on the train and in the office start dancing with him. Ironically, I quite like how it isn’t freestyled. But rather the choreography feels set and follows a routine. However, I did like how aesthetic it felt. Also, Kang Daniel looks really good in a suit. Like really handsome.

I quite enjoyed the choreography for this release. There isn’t much going on in terms of moves, but you can definitely feel that the thought behind it was definitely present and carefully considered. The lack of emotions somehow added more fuel to the performance and the fact that chorus felt controlled and lacked freedom was still an interesting aspect of the performance, overall.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Review] VISION – Dreamcatcher

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As I have focused on the male rookies earlier on the week, I have decided to focus on the comebacks by the female artists first. Next up is Dreamcatcher, who made their return earlier on in the week with their new single VISION and their 7th mini-album, Apocalypse: Follow Us. This follows the group’s MAISON comeback earlier this year and the release of their second studio album, Apocalypse: Save Us.

I described MAISON as their most electrifying release yet, but I think VISION overtakes that. The choruses is the reason why, as it had a very lurching electronic techno backing that almost elicits a head-banging motion. The same type you think of when it comes to rock – I like it how whatever Dreamcatcher does in their title tracks, it is always some sort of rock fix, even if it is pseudo. The energy that comes off the choruses was quite full on, and I really liked that. VISION‘s chorus had a similar set up to MAISON, but the structure definitely feels more well-rounded here. I think, if anything, the vocals could have gone a step further, but it was still a decent effort. I did like the softer fade they had with the ‘Vision~‘ at the end of the choruses. And when you join everything together, it is still a banger. As for VISION‘s verses, they really serve powerful vocals when it matters most and this really bolsters up the verses. I kind of wished that was the case for the chorus. The raps we get were awesome and definitely hit it right. The bridge’s instrumental featured a marching band like effect, which I felt was suspenseful and a nice way to make the final chorus feel more loaded and explosive. Definitely a powerful song that fits right into Dreamcatcher’s repertoire.

The music video for VISION features a future that is devastated by the rule of an unknown force. Dreamcatcher uses their powers (lightning) to overthrow the unknown force, which the members at the end succeed in doing. This definitely complements the vision of the future that the members are singing/rapping about in the lyrics of the song. I liked how they did it all in style and how some of their outfits felt fitting for their vision (i.e. the dresses and crowns – elegance and a symbol which represents power). I just wished the members had donned those exact outfits for the end when they appear in that breaking new segment. What they wore there felt too contemporary and didn’t fully feel like they won or gained power. Other than that, I really liked their militaristic concept the choreography scenes had undertaken. In these scenes, Siyeon reminded me of Hyolyn (former member of Sistar) throughout the video with the bob cut and the aura she gives off in this video. And that is quite a compliment!

I love the energy that Dreamcatcher pulled off throughout the performance, both in their moves and live vocals. The whole performance from start to end was awesome to watch and just had so much powerful energy. But the highlight of the performance was the bridge and final chorus. Everything just felt perfect on stage during these two moments. An A+ performance, in my opinion.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Review] ILLELLA – MAMAMOO

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Let’s knock out some reviews for some new and recent releases. And there is a lot of them this week. First up, I am covering MAMAMOO, one of my favourite KPOP of all times. So far this year, it has been fairly quiet on the group front with all members focusing on their solo careers via solo comebacks and collaborations. Slowly, the group turned towards group activities, beginning with the Mamamoo+ subunit consisting of Solar and Moonbyul, whom collaborated with Big Naughty with Better (yet to be reviewed). Now, the group has returned to group promotions as a full group with the release of ILLELLA and their 12th mini-album, Mic On.

For me, ILLELLA feels like a return to form for the group. Since the release of AYA in 2020, I felt the group hasn’t really been showing themselves off as much in their title tracks. While each song did have their individual charm (even though I didn’t realize it at the time of review), I do miss the days when MAMAMOO performed a meaty song with thanks to their vocals. With ILLELLA, the group definitely delivered strong vocals that had bite to them. And with a song that has some nice percussive bass, I feel that ILLELLA has proved itself to be what I have been craving for. Sure, ILLELLA is still a length away from being the group’s best track. But it still does a decent job of throwing itself up there. The biggest charm of ILLELLA alongside the vocals is that it features a dose of reggae influence, which adds some zing to the pop that features as an underlay in the song’s instrumentation. The biggest flaw, on the other hand, is the fact that the song sounds repetitive, which is probably thanks to that guitar riff and the way the hooks were looped. It dries up the song, which is disappointing. I wished the song had done something more to dispel this repetitiveness. Potentially, having an instrumental piece of song kind earlier in the song and that dance break we got as part of the music video but not the official audio would have been great addition to ILLELLA. It was quite unique and the broke the song up decently. The way it used the ILLELLA hook and glitched it was rather intriguing. This would also been quite an addition to help prove to others that MAMAMOO can indeed perform a more complicated routine. But overall, ILLELLA hits the spot.

I quite enjoyed most of the music video. It is one of those videos that makes the members look good, with the standard formula of closeups and choreography shots. The outdoor scenes with the colourful outfits, the more brown and earthy tones brought forward through their fitness wear choreography scenes, the different solo shots we got of the members, the black leather outfits (Solar looked so good in that dress!) – there were definitely many scenes where the group looked amazing. The biggest no-no for me was when the members were on top of the car, driving down that city-pop highway. It just felt so cheesy and forced. The truck dance break was also pretty bad conceptually, but it was bearable (as the video reverts to that proper dance set).

The song definitely had rhythm, and you can feel it in the accompanying choreography for this comeback. I liked how the members also really embraced the reggae and used it to their full advantage to give us a sensual performance piece. I also really liked how the dancers added to the stage performance, allowing the group to focus on their live aspect of their performance.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10

[Review] Parallel Universe – NINE.i

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NINE.i is another rookie that I had not reviewed yet. This 10 member male group made their debut back in March of this year, and the lineup of NINE.i consist of Jewon, Eden, Winnie, Minjun, Vahn, Vari, Sewon, Taehun, Joohyoung and Jiho. FirstOne Entertainment is their managing company. Their debut single Parallel Universe was featured on their debut mini-album NEW WORLD. The group later promoted Beauty Inside from the same mini-album.

Parallel Universe is another pleasant song to add to the list of KPOP releases of 2022. But for this particular release, I found the pleasantness to be a charming factor. Interesting, given my comments in the last review I posted. I guess pleasantness has its moments and Parallel Universe is one of them. Sure, the electronic based pop song isn’t the most riveting release of the year and I do feel at times Parallel Universe could have done more. But the way they kept instrumental was consistent throughout the song ended up feeling aesthetic to me. Even when the instrumental amps up (ever so slightly) for the dance break, it is done so in manner that does not stray from the pleasing nature of the rest of the song. Their vocals and raps complemented that pleasant nature that I keep talking about. All of which helps keep the song consistent. And this is one of the few times where I quite enjoyed the consistency factor, as well. My pick for best showing of these vocals and raps in Parallel Universe was the layering of vocal and rap in the bridge, which also doubled up as being a neat ramp up to the final chorus and peak for the song. There was a satisfying concentration of energy during the choruses that taps into both pleasantness and consistency. Overall, Parallel Universe is a pleasing song that just works and does not come off as boring or plain.

I feel that the music video also carries on that pleasant aesthetic from the song. But the resulting storyline just doesn’t feel like it is hitting the mark for me. The music video plays on the idea of a parallel universe, where one version of the group is having an enjoyable time at home, while another version of the group is having more fun at the carnival. It is a feel-good type of the video (which I believe complements the lyrics and message behind the song), but it doesn’t really go anywhere. I did liked the golden aura/colour tone in this video, from the sun and the carnival lights. I also enjoyed the post-production to this video and the electronic-like touches for that dance solo moment in the video. The choreography shots seem to also carry on the pleasant aesthetic, but I felt I wished the stylists thought out their black outfits a bit more. The light blues, greys and light tones in the more blue dance set looked more appropriate as a pleasant vibe, whereas the black outfits felt too prominent in this video.

Their synchronisation in this music video was top notch. I do feel like the smoother routine they had opted for does make it easier to achieve this effect, so I would like to see the members do a more hard hitting and sharper routine to really show off this skillset. However, that being said, I did like the additional energy and effort they put towards the chorus. And the solo dance sequence was quite cool. The way the members introduced themselves back onto the stage after the solo dance sequence (i.e. running back on) felt a bit messy, and I wished some refinement was considered here. But overall, a nice performance piece.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.1/10

[Review] 1 of 9 – YOUNITE

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Next rookie we are visiting is YOUNITE, who made their debut back in April this year with 1 of 9 and the mini-album, Youni-Birth. A nine-member, the group consists of Eunho, Steve, Hyunseung, Eunsang, Hyungseok, Woono, Dey, Kyungmun, and Sion. You may recognize Eunsang, in particular, who made his solo debut back in 2020 with Beautiful Scar and later returned with Lemonade. They find their home at Brand New Music, which is the home of AB6IX, BDC, Bumkey and Han Dong Geun (to name a few artists). Following their debut, YOUNITE made their comeback in July with AVIATOR (which will be a focus of a future review, and a much preferred single over their debut).

So, if you read between the lines for that last statement, you could probably tell that I am not entirely a fan of their debut single. YOUNITE didn’t do a terrible job per say with 1 of 9. It was just a forgettable single for me. The individual aspects were fair, but when you piece them together, 1 of 9 isn’t the standout debut track I am looking for as a first step into the industry. 1 of 9 is a pleasant pop track, with a bright instrumental that leads into the Summer period quite nicely. There was a retro touch to the song, which lends well to how I have described the song. It was a decent piece, but I feel like a more dynamic flair would have been appreciated in the instrumental back to give the backing some more oomph and bite. It also leans over into sweet territory just slightly too much for my liking. But I do appreciate the pleasantness of the instrumental, as already described/mentioned. The vocals and rapping are just as bright and sweet-sounding, so it definitely works well with the instrumental. The members did a decent job and I felt it was also a good showing of potential. I did wish there was a more catchy hook and weighty melody to the 1 of 9, just to give it a more memorable ring. This would have really boosted the appeal of the song for me, as well. Everything I have mentioned so far that I wished 1 of 9 had done or incorporated would have boosted the memorability factor of the song and solve the forgettable issue I had with 1 of 9 as a whole piece.

The bright and sweet descriptors that I have used to describe 1 of 9 have also been carried over into the music video, with a fluffy and cute music video to accompany the release. Not really my personal style, but it was a good introduction to the nine members with steady shots of the members and a very colourful/bright tone that helps show off the members (as opposed to the usual dark or edgy concepts). I quite liked the idea of the YOUNITE Village that the video is set in.

I feel like the performance was a strong part of this debut. Obviously the song doesn’t enable anything hard hitting to really happen in the routine. But the members and their choreographer still managed to put together a piece that has a bit of energy and fun to it. The movement of the members was quite smooth throughout the performance, especially when they moved about the stage.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Review] DU DU DU – TAN

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The next rookie group to be covered is TAN, who one day I will revisit to review their more recent releases such as Louder, Walking On The Moon and Beautiful Lie (which will be released later this week). But for now, I will be focusing on their debut single, DU DU DU, which was released way back in February of this year. TAN is a project group, formed through the MBC survival shot, The Wild Idol. From the show, the final lineup of TAN consists of Changsun (current member of 24K), Taehoon (participated in CAP-TEEN), Jiseong (member of NTX), Sunghyuk (former member of RAINZ), Jaejun (former member of C-Clown, under the stage name Maru, and TREI), Hyunyeop, and Jooan (former member of We In The Zone).

TAN’s debut essentially has what I want in a debut song. There is a uniqueness to the song that allows DU DU DU to stand out from the pack, and this should do wonders to TAN as a strong foot forward. The unique aspect of the song is the acapella start and feature throughout the song. It is different to the reliance of synths nowadays and there is also an intriguing vibe at the same time coming from it. The acapella itself is rather low, and so the rest of DU DU DU is built around it. We get a groovy bassline (as pointed out with the deep voice uttering ‘bassline’) and a deep/thick vibrating synth as the backing of the part of the first verse. Interestingly, the acapella we get at the start of the song returns as a backing to the raps. This is quite unique and different to how acapella has previously be utilised in KPOP (from the top of my head). When we reach the chorus, we get more acapella in the background, a smooth and sleek melody made possible by the falsetto vocals and a more substantial beat that is in line with the groovy bassline. The second verse continues the groovy underlay of the song, but with more riveting vocals and rap. I am very into the opening line of the second verse, where the line is delivered without any instrumental backing. That was a cool moment in DU DU DU. There is also a bit of extra detailing in the instrumental in the second verse, which builds on the momentum of the song. In the bridge, we get a more focused piece from the main rapper and I liked how the instrumental changes into more of a hip-hop piece here. After that, a well done high note and a further change in instrumental without changing the melody or tone of DU DU DU. And after that, DU DU DU closes with the same acapella that opened up the song. With a solid showing of vocals and rapping from the group, and a song like DU DU DU, I am now confused to why I had put off reviewing this song earlier on in the year.

I am not entirely sure what to make of the music video. It begins with a member falling into the unknown, which raises a few questions. But the music video doesn’t really answer those questions. Instead, we get a bunch of different sets for the choreography and solo shots. It all looked good and artistic, but I wonder if there was a thread in which everything is connected. It feels like there is, given that artistic nature to it. But I can’t really pinpoint the connection. But aside from that, I liked the two colour tones of the video. One is the darkness that features heavily as the unknown I mentioned earlier. The second is an earthy brown (like the one we see in some of the choreography shots and the set of the featured image). An earthy brown isn’t my first pick of a core colour, but it definitely looks cool.

What an alluring performance piece. I never really paid attention to the live stages for DU DU DU, but watching it for this review tells me I have been missing out. They were quite charismatic and had stage presence. The synchronisation was top notch. I liked how the main members during the chorus snapped from non-choreography to the actual choreography within a blink of an eye. There is definitely potential for the group on the stage, and I can’t wait to review to see if their later releases reach/exceed this potential.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.4/10

[Review] MOVE – TNX

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Something I have been doing unintentionally this year is pushing song reviews for rookies aside to cover the bigger releases. So, as we are gearing towards award season (nudge nudge, hint hint), I thought I take some time to cover some more rookies. I kick things off with TNX (stands for The New Six), a six member male group under P Nation. The group was formed through the TV show LOUD and features Taehun, Kyungjun, Hyunsoo, Junhyeok, Hwi and Sungjun as part of its lineup. They debuted back in May of this year with the single MOVE and the mini-album WAY UP.

MOVE doesn’t offer anything new or make much of an impression on me – probably why it was bumped so often. And this is the biggest downfall of MOVE for me. It just felt like a standard electronic dance release from a multitude of male groups currently active in KPOP. If you were expecting something fresh, different or intriguing, than I would not recommend TNX’s debut. But if you are after a release that is mainstream, then MOVE is the release for you. Per usual, there were aspects of the MOVE that I did enjoy. But if you read through my blog, the things I am about to point out are pretty much common in other releases as well. I did like the thumping aspect of the instrumental, which gave off a dramatic flair. For this song, it was much needed to give the song some definition, which I thought was lacking in MOVE. The group shows off solid rapping and vocals through the verses and pre-choruses, respectively. There is some potential, but I just wished we got to hear them in a less polluted atmosphere (i.e. the instrumentation). Some definition (again) would have helped the members in MOVE, just so they sound and appear bolstered alongside that thumping and synths used. Talking about synths, the producers of MOVE used pretty ordinary ones throughout the song. I wished they went with more abstract or unique synths than the usual siren-like synth in the verses/choruses or the crunchy one in the choruses. The strings in the bridge were a nice addition, and I liked the way the instrumental concentrates in the final chorus. Moving onto MOVE‘s choruses, I felt the instrumentation overpowered the members, and again I wished there more definition. The hooks weren’t as memorable here, as opposed to the pre-chorus, which was disappointing. Overall, MOVE is a fair release. But I hope we get something better for their first comeback.

Again, the concept for this music video was pretty ordinary. It features a rebellion, lead by the members. The main reason to why I am describing the concept as ordinary, however, is due to the fact that we don’t get much of a backstory. Based on the ending, it appears the rebellion is successful, with the members leaving the lab without anyone hindering them. What I did like about the video was the striking nature of the colours in this video. Probably the most noticeable is the red coloured straps and jumpsuits donned by the members and the background people on the sterile white/light silver clothing and settings. The green (see the feature image) was also striking by dominating much of the set, and I liked the subtleness of the navy in some other scenes (though still striking enough).

Choreography wise, I think this is the strongest aspect of the debut. I really liked the aggression and energy behind the different moves throughout the performance. Their stage presence was definitely strongly felt. I also enjoyed the final sequence, where the song concentrates itself. We also see a similar effect in the performance.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10